Just a quick bit of Activism to end the week

Hey ppl.
In a new twist, I've just decided to write once a week in my humble little blog, of an issue and provide links to relevent websites.

Today, I'm going to (hopefully) direct a little of your attention to an incident that occurred in Bhopal, India, in 1984; and the consequences, with which hundreds of thousands of people still live today.

On the 2nd Dec 1984, an accident in a Union Carbide chemical plant in Bhopal, India, released a toxic cloud into the atmosphere that, within only a short day or two, killed as many as 20,000 people. The toll is still rising today, with one death per day in the Bhopal region being attributed directly to the initial disaster. Many more deaths are occuring through the longer term environmental damage that was caused. Many of these have come about through the toxification of the local soils and water.
Gruesome birth defects, disease and cancer, and the injuries sustained by the original survivors plague Bhopal and the surrounding districts.
And 21 years later, the company in control of the operation at the time, Union Carbide, and the curent owner Dow Chemical, are both STILL weedling their way out of facing up to the responsibility they have of the clean up of the environment, the health needs of the local population and the laws thhey have broken and subsequent charges that have been laid. In fact, both companies, and the people in charge at the time of Union Carbide, have not even had the decency to appear in the Indain courts to at least answer to the charges: while at least 300,000 people STILL SUFFER.
Sounds like they have something to hide if you ask me......
But you didn't.

For more information/more detailed information, have a look here ----->

Justice For Bhopal

You will also find a petition on the website. Please sign it and together we can aply pressure to the "powers that be" that wherever it happens in the world, they will not get away with it...

Some people.....

Some people were born to infuriate me. I'm 100% convinced of that.
Our Media "Representative" has actively set out to destroy our Student Mag, Tabula Rasa.
Why? Who knows? Maybe he's a Liberal in disguise.
And why, you may ask, did I use "" around the word Representative? Because HE is the one trying to destroy us, instead of being the one trying to protect us.
He is NOT representative of me.

For anyone from outside Australia who may stumble across my humble little blog, let me clarify; Liberal here, is a reference to our current Government, the Liberal Party, which is the conservative side of politics. And yes, they are conservative. The Liberal in their name signifies their stance on market liberalisation, NOT human liberation......But that is for another day.

I was actually looking forward all day to having just a good ole whinge about the sorry state of my sorry little life. But NO. I got an email describing our Media "Reps" latest moves to close down our Magazine.
So instead, I spent an hour writing the following e-mail, which I've edited here, as you won't know all the gory details.
Here it is......

**********************************************

Fellow Tabula-ites,
It's a grand ole thing to see our REPRESENTATIVE standing up FOR us, and fighting FOR us, and REPRESENTING US, rather than making life a misery.

To anyone reading this, yes I am yelling, cos I am angry as hell.

Personally, I would have thought the MEDIA REP would have been proud of their media outlets' independence, and would be the one fighting tooth and nail to preserve that independence; TR, SSR and Swin TV.

However, this sadly seems not to be the case. Am I disappointed? No.
If there are people in this world, intent on causing more problems than there need be, then these individuals deserve far LESS than my respect, and will receive far LESS than my respect. I cannot be disappointed by an individual that I do not respect.
An individual, coincidently, who has had ample time and opportunity to bring any of these issues up, with any of the TR Editorial staff he feels comfortable speaking with throughout the year, but has not. Why? I cannot answer that question, our Media rep is the individual who has saved all these issues up, until now, and taken matters out of our hands, rather than addressing the issues he has at more appropriate times; ie when they have arisen, so that they could be addressed promptly.

Now, before people start calling me a hypocrite for bringing administration (and I use the term loosely in this case) and "politics" into the TR egroup, I would like to say, (no not that, this IS a public forum), that OUR egroup IS the place for TR members and contributors to discuss TABULA RASA issues, not the place for an individual to air their personal vendetta.
This motion is a TR issue, which TR members need to know about, to discuss, and to FIGHT.

IF, our illustrious media rep has anything to say to me, I would ask that he say it to me privately and NOT engage in a public flame war. I am merely fighting for a publication that I am proud to be involved with and proud of, and will continue to do so vocally, and do NOT wish to be involved in a public slinging match.

*******************************************

And it gets worse.....
I just found out how seriously the UNIVERSITY is taking his bullshit, and is threatening to not give the union ITS OWN MONEY for the magazine.

Independent, Student Media, is NOT the University's business. It is OUR business.
This fight has only just begun......

And, Today Tonight still havent replied. I guess they must be REAL busy.
More soon.

Well Surprise surprise!

Wouldn't ya know it?!?!?!

Today Tonight haven't replied to my email (see below) asking them to expose the fraud that is, commercial current affairs programming.
Why not? Well, maybe it's because it's in the queue still and hasn't been gotten to yet, whhich is perfectly fair enough, I'm more than willing to wait my turn and don't want ot push other people's stories out. But I'm hoping they do get back to me. Fingers crossed.

WE could also visit this website

adbusters

to change the world.

Lets do it people.

Today Tonight

For those who don't know, from outside of Australia, we have a "current affairs" program that is aired nightly at 6:30 pm, in the evening called

Today-Tonight

Basically, they go over the days events, run their owners' agenda etc, the usual "current affairs" programming crap. At least in the commercial network world anyways. It's main competition/rival is on the Channel 9 network, "A Current Affair".

So earlier tonight, I was looking at a friends blog, who has linked to some footage of some of the off air shenanigans of Today-Tonight. He also had a link to the website, where, in one section, they ask for the viewers ideas for stories. Well, I couldn't help myself. So here is the story idea I sent off to them.
I hope they can help me out in exposing the terrible, terrible fraud.....



"OK. Here is my story idea/the scam I want exposed......

There is a show on Television, that I think should be investigated and brought to its knees for just plain bad "journalism", skewed, biased and sensationalist reporting of issues it sees, or rather, pushes as being “issues” (while ignoring the deeper root problems and their causes, and, it may be argued, adds to the problems our society faces), and for thinly disguising commercial advertising that this program hides behind the premises’ of being investigations into whatever the service/product claims to do for us. Conversely, this program also, I feel, aims to discredit any opposition to it or its commercial allies.

The program in question blatantly disregards ethical and moral considerations when producing stories and airing them, preferring over good journalism, profit and therefore ratings.

It may well be argued by the Executives of this program, and the network (Channel 7), that this is what people WANT to see, rather than all that depressing stuff about war, the reasons behind drug abuse and crime and perhaps climate change and the potentially devastating effects this will have, so therefore, this program delivers. They would probably even cite their ratings over the ratings of say, the 7:30 Report, Lateline, Four Corners, or the Cutting Edge. But let’s face it, you put any easily digestible fluff in front of most of this programs’ “loyal” viewers, at 6:30 in the evening, and they’ll pretty much buy it (re: Big Brother).

So basically, I was wondering, if you, the producers of such an influential branch of the media tree, could find it in your hearts, to send a couple of your hardest hitting reporters out to investigate and bring to their knees the perpetrators of the crime that is:
Today Tonight?

Thank you."


Now I await their reply. I so hope they can help me out.

ELECTION IS OVER !

AND WE WON!
WooHoo!

Mostly, Misspolitics is the President of our Union. She's done a wonderful job in a difficult year and deserves the "top job".
The Union and the student body will be much better of for her efforts.

WE also won the VSU battle against the Federal Liberal Government.
WooHoo! for Student Unions in general, not just ours, and to Senator Barnaby Joyce who had the balls to cross the floor and vote against the party line.

It's been a big week, a tough week, but it loks as though we've made it through.
So, in about 10 seconds, I will be fast asleep.
Goodnight, and speak soon.
YAY.

One of my favourite things.

One of my favourite things is.............
Spelling Errors.
Even the word itself smacks of indecision. (re: just say maybe)

You could; er, err, er,
Or: or, or, or.

err or. The guy who came up with this word was a fucking genuis.

Now, I'll move on to spelling errors.
I love Spelling Errors.
I could (but won't) do it all day.

Errors Errors
Errors Errors
Errors Errors

See what I mean?
Wow.

Elections begin tomorrow, so the shit fighting has begun today.

OK, I can see many many posts here in the next few days, even a few a day. AS i said, the shit fight has begun:

Can someone explain to me how we will save another $200 dollars each AFTER VSU, when and IF it comes through?

If VSU is passed in the Federal Senate, which is NOT guaranteed, as a number of Nationals are still opposing the bill, at least in the caucus rooms (this I know for fact. I can back my claim up, but will NOT reveal my sources), then it is the GSF the University no longer collects. From the GSF, the University then allocates an amount to the Union. THIS IS WHERE THE UNION ATTAINS IT'S FUNDS, NOT A UNION FEE. The Union has to anually fight for this money. So, no GSF = no money for the Union. The Union does NOT collect money from us via a "Union Fee".

So, again I ask - where will this $200 come from? And how will it be a saving to us even IF VSU comes through? Will Jono, and others from the so called "coalition of independants" be paying us $200 each from their own coffers? Please explain?
And what good will this do to Union services, INCLUDIN clubs, activities and independant student media (the place, one feels, these issues should have been brought up in the first place. ie the legitimate forum rather than your egroups)

And, on top of that, have all the parties that have been promised by the Liberals been funded? (I mention Liberals because the form of "Campaigning" these ppl are using is so so reminiscient of Liberal party campaigning). Where will this money come from IF VSU goes through AND they will be saving us a FURTHER $200 each?
Where are the policies BTW? Or are we to just beleive the PDF poster?


I apologise for bringing this into your groups' forums, where this sort of behaviour does NOT belong, but I am asking these questions here because other people see it fit to discuss these issues here.
There is also one other person running for Media and Activities rep. Where is that persons sanctioned propagana?

Voluntary Voting in Australia

I think:
Aust has a high turn out on Election Day, but how many of these people, the so called "voters" actually vote, rather than get crossed off the role and drop their paper in the Ballot? Yes, it is a right to do that. But, how many of the voters actually think about their vote or where it goes? How many just go by what is in the biased media, owned by neo-liberal corporate pigs with their own agendas?
How many even vote without “how to vote” cards? Or decide in advance of arriving at the polling booth where their vote is going?
Did people know you can actually do that? Yes, you can actually make up your own mind on who you vote for, who your preferences are and how you place each candidate on YOUR VOTE! On YOUR Ballot paper!
You don’t need to vote on stupid shit like “That’s a pretty how to vote card”. That is probably an extreme example; however I’m sure it happens. How often does it happen though? Then, the same people complain that they’ve lost this that or the other service. These are the people that shouldn’t be voting. Not excluded…..don’t get me wrong…..ALL people should have the right to vote.
Just USE it, DON’T ABUSE IT.
I’m convinced, that if only the people who took part in our democracy, who had an interest and paid attention voted, the following may not be troubles for us. At least not to the extent they are.

These things WERE voted for, by you, the unthinking, unquestioning majority, 1 year ago:
Telstra. Industrial Relations Reforms. VSU. Unethical Foreign Policy that is brining war to our doorstep, not to mention us being involved in wars on other lands based on LIES. Increased HECS.
Remember this little gem people…Interest Rates will NOT rise under a liberal Government. They obviously forgot to mention insane fuel prices and the longer term effects of that one…..prices of everyday items UP, everyday living expenses UP, and yes, most likely, INTEREST RATES UP. Are we better off?
Don’t forget these ones either; Anti Abortion, Anti Gay marriage. And we call ourselves a liberal society.
Don’t forget either, the fact that our “illustrious” leader is nought but a Butt-puppet for George W. and his war mongering, neo-liberal cronies.

Do I support Voluntary Voting? Hell yeah. The gullible who only vote because it is compulsory will stop voting, and the rest of us can get on with proper and true Democracy. Leaving only the people who actually deserve to vote, those of us actually engaged with politics and policy, people with something to add...even those I disagree with.
This will also give me, a voluntary voter, one more right;
The right to tell the whingers to “Shut up and DO something about it if you don’t like it. Don’t complain to me”
Any how, I’ll go now.

What am I?

This is what I am......

A liberal arts student
A writer
A sub-editor
A Student Union Rep
A son
A mate


These are some things I have been......


A musician
A photographer
A writer
An Artist
A Blubbering Mess
King of the World!

A Martial Artist
A Pupil / A teacher
A Winner / A guy having a bad bad day

I've been,
A printer
A Storeman
An Inventory Controller
A labourer
A Driver
A forklift Driver

A leader / A follower
A boss / A worker
In Charge / Out of control
trying to be ME!

....These are some of the things I have been.
But....
What am I?????????
What Am I going to be, when I grow up?

October

October eh People?
Who named October OCT? Oct is eight. As in OCTagon. OCTagonerian, or however the rest of it is spelled.

I'll leave you with that to ponder, or ignore, whatever your preferance may be.

Oh yeah. Back safe and sound from Newcastle.
More on that a little later......